Case Number 00194

Trekkies

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All Rise...

The Charge

Trekkies are the only fans listed by name in the Oxford English Dictionary.
Are you surprised?

Opening Statement

A documentary look at the breadth and depth of Star Trek fandom,
Trekkies will have you laughing, smiling, or shaking your head at just
how far some people will go in pursuit of their chosen hobby.

The Evidence

Gene Roddenberry, AKA The Great Bird of the Galaxy (Star Trek's creator),
could never have imagined the gigantic, worldwide reach of Star Trek. It is over
thirty years since the original short-lived TV series, since succeeded by three
further TV shows, an animated series, a long string of movies, a continual
parade of conventions, and millions upon millions of die-hard fans as well as
further millions and millions of far more casual fans. Trekkies does
double duty, as it takes a look both at the reasons behind Star Trek's status as
a cultural phenomenon as well as how the passion of the fans is manifested in
their lives.

Hosted by Denise Crosby ("Tasha Yar" on Star Trek: The Next
Generation), Trekkies takes us into the ordinary lives of a wide range of
Star Trek fans. First up is Gabriel Köerner, an arrogant young man who
knows the stylistic details of Star Trek uniforms in intimate detail and has
used his skill in computer animation to begin work on a Star Trek-related film
project for his local club. A second famous, perhaps infamous, fan is Barbara
Adams, best known to the world as the Whitewater alternate juror who showed up
at the courthouse in Arkansas every day in her Star Trek uniform, phaser, and
communicator.

Others include a dentist who turned his practice into Star Trek Dental,
where the workers all wear Star Trek uniforms and the office is just crammed to
the gills with pictures, toys, and all kinds of memorabilia, a self-proclaimed
"Spiner Femme" who is mildly obsessed with all matters relating to
actor Brent Spiner (who was Lt. Commander Data in the Star Trek: The Next
Generation), two women who host a "Talk Trek" radio talk show, a Star
Trek cat, and more.

In addition to the people, you are shown what goes on at the average Star
Trek convention, where the fans gather to reinforce their fandom, meet actors
and others associated with the various incarnations of Star Trek, and much cash
is spent on a breathtaking array of merchandise. As I learned from the bonus
material on the James Bond special edition discs, there is no end to the variety
of toys, books, clothing, models, dishware, and what-not that a savvy marketer
can get a fan to buy, and Star Trek is simply the latest example of that
truth.

Interspersed with the glimpses of fans and fandom are the musings and
anecdotes from an array of actors and crew who have been associated with Star
Trek over the years, such as Leonard Nimoy, Jimmy Doohan, DeForest Kelley (God
rest his soul!), Brannon Braga, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Nichelle Nichols,
Majel Barrett, Kate Mulgrew, John DeLancie (my favorite), and others. Their
stories range from the bizarre (a fan who wanted a blood sample from Jimmy
Doohan), to the humorous (a devoted female fan who mailed a marijuana cigarette
to DeForest Kelley), to the supremely touching (how Jimmy Doohan reached out to
save a woman from suicide).

A primary virtue of Trekkies is that it allows the fans to speak for
themselves, for good or for ill. Their beliefs and views are simply presented,
leaving it up to the viewer to judge whether their devotion is touching,
amusing, or deeply weird. Denise Crosby has a sensitive touch as the
narrator/guide, treating even the most whacked-out fan with gentleness and
respect for the depth and sincerity of their thoughts and beliefs. Perhaps
Denise Crosby, as many of us might as well, thinks that it is simply amazing
that a short-lived science fiction show in the late 1960s has spawned such a
gigantic (pardon the pun) enterprise. Some of the reasons are mentioned in the
film, such as the public's hunger for inspirational, positive stories of a
future where poverty and prejudice are mere memories, or increased interest in
space exploration and the potential of technology.

In the final analysis, Trekkies has something to say to all of us,
whether we are fans of Star Trek or not. There is someone in your life who is as
fanatic about their own hobby as are these Star Trek fans, and perhaps
Trekkies will help to put their (or your) interest in perspective.

Don't expect reference-quality video, as Trekkies was filmed in 16mm
and blown-up to 35mm for its theatrical presentation. Film grain is prevalent
throughout the movie, as well as video noise and apparent compression artifacts.
Sharpness is nothing to write home about, but colors are reasonably saturated
and flesh tones are acceptable. On the up side, it appears to be a clean and
well-preserved print.

The audio is going to give your center channel a lot to do, but not much for
the rest of your speaker set-up. This is, after all, a documentary, so there is
lots of talk and very little else (though the funky music in the opening is
cool). The wealth of dialogue is clear and distinct, so we can't expect much
more.

While I would normally level severe criticism for a disc that sports static
menus and a mere trailer (though packaged in the preferred Amaray keep case) as
the only extras, that would seem to be unfair in this case. This is a low-budget
independent documentary to begin with, and in a sense this whole movie feels
like it could be an extra for another Star Trek disc. Still, it would have been
nice to get some production notes on the movie itself, or some more material to
help the uninitiated viewer grasp the size and scope of the Star Trek phenomena
that has given rise to the fandom.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

This is clearly not going to be a DVD to showcase the capabilities of the
format, and the extras are virtually absent, so if the subject matter is not of
interest to you, then this is not worth your time or money.

Closing Statement

A fascinating dose of real-life, Trekkies will show you a world of
fanaticism that may be unknown to you. If you are even the most casual fan of
Star Trek, this should be required viewing, and even if you are not, it's worth
a look. I strongly recommend a rental, but with the typical Paramount price
($30), you may want to take a look before you buy unless you are a die-hard Star
Trek fan.

The Verdict

Logic dictates that this film should be acquitted. Paramount is reprimanded
for not spending a little cash and effort to polish this rough gem. Hey,
Paramount, will you guys ever put out a special edition?